Future and the Roots are the latest additions to the 2014 BET Experience.
The sing-songy Atlanta rapper and the Philly hip-hop band will headline late-night concerts during the three-day festival slated for June, the Black Entertainment Television network announced Tuesday.
Like last year’s inaugural BET Experience, the late-night shows will be anchored at Club Nokia in Los Angeles and preceded by comedy shows.
The Club Nokia gigs will be late enough in the evening so that festivalgoers who see headliner acts across the street at Staples Center can still catch the shows (the Club Nokia concerts are scheduled for 11 p.m.).
Future is set for June 27, and the Roots will perform the following night. The groundbreaking hip-hop band is returning to the festival with its star-studded jam show (billed as the Roots & Friends). Last year, the Roots recruited Nelly, Too Short, MC Lyte and Naughty by Nature for their show.
This year’s festival, scheduled for June 27-29, will again offer three days of urban-music concerts, wellness seminars, celebrity panels, exhibits and a fan expo that will unfold over multiple venues at L.A. Live.
R&B crooner Maxwell and songstresses Jill Scott and Marsha Ambrosius will kick off the festival on June 27 at Staples Center.
ASAP Rocky, Rick Ross, K. Michele, Ty Dolla Sign and August Alsina will share the bill on Night 2, alongside a yet-to-be-announced hip-hop reunion, according to the network.
Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz, Jennifer Hudson and Tamar Braxton will close the festival.
The festival is built around the network’s highly rated awards show.
More than 100,000 people flocked to L.A. Live last year for concerts that featured Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, J. Cole and Miguel as well as R. Kelly, New Edition and the Jacksons. Comedy shows included Mike Epps and Cedric the Entertainer, Kirk Franklin led a gospel showcase and Erykah Badu and the Roots topped late-night jam sessions.
In 2012, the network signed a deal with Anschutz Entertainment Group to launch the event and move its award show to the Nokia Theatre. BET teamed with promoter Goldenvoice, a division of AEG Live, to curate the talent for the festival.
Unlike a lot of one-size-fits-all festival tickets, AEG and BET wanted fans to be able to customize packages.
Keeping with the exclusivity of the award show experience, those wanting to rub shoulders with the stars at the show can buy one of the two VIP packages the network created — if they’re willing to shell out between $1,095 and $4,395. Each package offers a different access level but guaranteed entry to the awards and plum seats to the Staples Center series.
BET also offers single-day tickets to the concerts for $59.50 to $149.50, or buyers can bundle the Staples Center shows for $199 to $399. Access to the fan fest and seminars is free with registration.
More info, including ticket sales, can be found on the festival’s site.
